State insurance laws can differ regarding this issue but yes, putting in a claim with your own insurance company can allow insurance companies to raise your rates in most states. Usually though this type of claim does not raise your premiums unless you already have a number of claims.

Most auto insurance carriers use a threshold to determine if vehicle activity claims should cause a surcharge or remove a discount. For example, some companies set $400 as a threshold. If you have any claim over $400 they will apply that claim in their rating factors. There are other insurance carriers that set the threshold at $1500 or higher.

The reason you purchase insurance is to protect you for these incidents. Typically, it is more cost-effective and in your best interest to submit the claim and make yourself “whole”. The cost difference on the premium is less than the cost of getting your car fixed. If the cost of getting your car fixed does raise your rates, it is still usually more cost-effective in the long run.

If you are worried about your rates, you may first want to check with neighbor to find out if he has insurance and if he does put the claim through his property damage liability coverage. If he does not have insurance then you can proceed with putting the claim through your own insurance's collision coverage.